The Wife
by CalypsoHatesEveryone
Summary: Salazar Slytherin's wife: not without her own turbulent past. Young, ill, and predjudiced, she arrives at Hogwarts. Little does she know, she will never leave... Soon she is sucked into a world of tangled relationships and confused futures.
1. Chapter 1

Varinia struggled against the rugged terrain, clutching her husband's hand in her own.  
"How much farther Salazar?" She asked softly, He looked back at her, his usually unreadable face tinged with worry.  
"Not much, are you sure you can keep going? I can car-"  
"No, I'm fine, I don't want to meet the greatest wizards and witches of the age being carried like a child." She said firmly.  
"They will not care Varinia, I've told them about your condition." She pursed her lips at that, he always overreacted when it came to her.  
"Please respect my wishes Salazar." She said quietly.  
There was a silence.  
"We're almost there."  
Varinia sighed, in truth she was completely exhausted, she felt like she might keel over any second. But she could not let go of her dignity and Salazar knew this. He had rescued her; half dead from starvation three months after her entire family had been massacred by muggles. The memories still haunted her.  
Her parents had locked her in a trunk, spelled to repel fire, because she could not travel via side-long Apparition, as she had a respiratory disease. They had tried it once and she had nearly died. If Varinia had not held them back, they could have escaped.  
She had married Salazar a year later, he was eight years her senior and a member of one of the most prestigious wizarding family.  
Now Varinia was sixteen and her weak constitution had finally allowed her to travel to the school her husband had called home for two years: Hogwarts.  
Varinia was looking forward to it. Salazar had told her that there were some Mudbloods in the school, but Varinia was not going to let that spoil it for her. She loved Salazar and she wanted to help the witches and wizards whose families had been murdered just like hers.  
And though she had not mentioned it, Varinia suspected she was with child.  
Suddenly the woods stopped and Varinia was standing in the middle of an open field, and though night was quickly falling, Varinia could just make out the ruins of a castle silhouetted against the grey sky.  
A man was running up to them, as he neared Varinia could see red hair, tanned skin and vivid green eyes. He had a closely cropped auburn beard and his hair refused to lie flat, he was tall, at least six foot standing a bit above Salazar, he was robustly built and beneath his shirt Varinia could see muscles flex. He was wearing simple but sturdy clothes and an aura of boyish humour. A grin was stretched across his face.  
"Salazar!" he yelled, clapping a hand around his friends shoulder, shaking his hand. Varinia couldn't help but smile, she noticed Salazar's lips too had twitched up slightly.  
"And you must be this beautiful bride Salazar never stops prattling on about." He said turning his attention to Varinia. Varinia had to smile at that, her husband was one of the greatest wizards in England and was capable of many things, but none of which was prattling.  
"I see you are more easily pleased though," he added in a stage whisper. "Meaning no disrespect my lady, I know how nobility such as your gracious self pride themselves on being as expressive as a stone." This brought another smile on Varinia's part.  
"Godric, may I introduce my wife, Lady Varinia Merope Bellatrix Artemisia Luciana Sarpedon Slytherin." Salazar said; the pride in his voice almost evident. Like his own family, the house of Sarpedon was almost as well-known as his own.  
"Varinia is fine; my name is such a mouthful." She quipped, looking at the slightly bewildered face of the taller man.  
"Oh good because I don't think I could possibly remember a long name such as that." He said relieved, then turning to Salazar, "How _do_ you manage it?"  
Varinia smiled again and shivered. Salazar looked worriedly at her, she shook her head slightly. She was fine.  
"Let's move inside shall we?" He asked nonchalantly, Godric nodded and took the almost miniscule pack Salazar had allowed her to carry, merely to humour her. He turned to his friend.  
"You have given her the secret?" he asked quietly, Salazar nodded. He turned to Varinia.  
"Think hard about what I told you." He said softly, Varinia nodded and staring hard at the ruins of the castle, thought very hard about Hogwarts.  
Slowly, it was as if the ground was expanding and the missing bricks of the castle flying out of nowhere and into place, bouts of smoke were billowing from a few chimneys, lights were lit within a few windows that she could now see were full of exquisite glass.  
"It's beautiful." She breathed, Salazar grinned broadly at her approval and Godric pretended to be greatly interested in a cut on his arm.  
"I'll go tell Rowena and Helga, you're here." He said jovially, disappearing inside the castles huge doors. Leaving Varinia and Salazar alone once more.  
"So you will stay?"  
"I never said I would not."  
"You will be happy here."  
"I will be with you. There is no other possible course of action."  
"Helga is a gifted healer. You will have access to the best treatment in Britain."  
"You have already mentioned this. Several times."  
"I only want your happiness."  
"I will most definitely be happy here."  
"I love you."  
A pause.  
"I love you too."

* * *

Helga looked up from what she was doing. Salazar had sent word that he would arrive that night and she intended to have the best feast prepared for him and his wife.  
She darted her way through the dozen house elves she had managed to bring to Hogwarts, and opened the door to the kitchen.  
Heaving open the heavy door, she peered around it to see Godric taking up nearly the whole frame. A huge grin was mounted on his face.  
"He's back Helga!" He nearly shouted. "Salazar's come home!"  
Helga felt a smile creep onto her face as well, while Salazar was sarcastic and pessimistic, he also had been through everything with them and the four were close. And not to mention anything that made Godric happy had the habit of spreading over everyone and thing within a ten mile radius.  
"That's wonderful! We must tell Rowena."  
"Where is she?"  
"She's giving an enriched Arithmancy lesson."  
"What's that?"  
"Haven't the foggiest."  
The two proceeded to the Arithmancy classroom where Rowena was teaching.  
"So what's she like?" Helga asked eagerly.  
"Who?"  
"Salazar's wife of course!"  
Godric looked thoughtful.  
"I've never met anyone so fragile looking, she was about five foot five and all skin and bones! Barely a bit of meat on her!"  
"Godric! You mustn't say something like that" Helga tutted, "She's a fine lady, she is, _and_ ill. Trust a man to only notice a woman's figure."  
"What else do you want to know?"  
"Is she kind? Haughty? Prejudiced?"  
"For Merlin's sake Helga, I only spoke to her for a moment!"  
"Fine then. Is she fair? Dark?"  
"Fair."  
"Eyes?"  
"Blue."  
"Skin?"  
"Pale."  
"Is she pretty?" Godric paused. There were implications within this question.  
"Very."  
"How old did Salazar say she was?"  
"Sixteen I think, she looked about that."  
They came to a halt at the door with ARITHMANCY carved into it. Godric knocked.  
"Enter." Came a muffled voice from within. Godric burst the second she looked up and spilled the news, she quickly dismissed her students who looked eager to rush of and tell the news to their schoolfellows.  
Her face remained impassive but Helga saw the merry glint to her eye.  
"Tell me Godric, what is she like?"  
"She's-" he began, but Helga cut across.  
"No, I can't stand to go through _all_ that again, she's thin, blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, about five foot five, pretty and sixteen years old."  
"Sixteen?" Rowena said, "She should be coming here to learn herself."  
"You couldn't put someone like her in with our rabble," Godric said wisely, "She'd be crushed, delicate little thing."  
"Even so," Rowena said mildly, using her I-could-argue-about-this-all-night-in-a-civil-tongue voice. "She should at least get a basic education…"  
"Rowena, she's a lady, she will have a basic education, you just don't belong to one of the richest pure-blood families without being completely oblivious." Helga said quickly, sensing her friends mood.  
"Ah, but didn't Salazar say she had a Respiratory disease?" Rowena countered, "It's possible she was not given an extensive education due to her illness."  
"Why only a moment ago you were arguing for a basic education, from your remark it would seem as though you are acknowledging the fact my wife has one, but you have changed your standards." Salazar said quietly from the doorway. Helga let out a small shriek of delight and threw her arms around Salazar, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.  
"Well now, look at you, you need a bath and a shave, you're almost as disorderly looking as Godric!" loudly, trying so hard to break the tension and turn the conversation and failing spectacularly.  
Salazar's eyes never left Rowena's.  
"Do you find some trouble with my wife Mistress Ravenclaw? Before you have even met her?" He asked coldly, Helga tutted him and was about to say something, but Rowena interrupted her.  
"Of course not Salazar, I was merely pondering the personal traits of your _young_ wife, I must admit curiosity got the better of me." The emphasis on the word 'young' was not lost on Salazar Slytherin.  
"No older than you at your own wedding day." He said loftily. Rowena sucked in her breath. She was a widow of ten years now.  
"Helga," Salazar began, "Though she will not admit it, Varinia is tired from our journey, I fear that it was too much for her, but we had no other options. She will need your attention."  
"Well of course," Helga said hurriedly, her eyes on Rowena. "Take me to her." And with that they left the room.

* * *

A/N: First of all, thank-you so much for reading and please leave a review.


	2. Quidditch

Varinia smoothed her dress; it was black and simple, as Salazar had advised. An empire waistline circled around her just below her bust with a small stiff sticking up collar (This was all velvet) and the long flowing silk skirt brushed delicately against her toes in cotton slippers.  
Varinia hadn't worn any colour but black since her families death. Salazar had respected her wishes, but she knew he wanted her to wear colours again; he wanted her to move on from the brutal murders of her family.  
But she couldn't.  
A knock on the door interrupted Varinia's train of thought, she was mightily glad of it.  
"Enter." She said softly, pinning the last pieces of her hair back into its French roll.  
Salazar opened the door and walked in followed by a small rotund woman barely scraping five feet in height. Varinia quickly rose and found herself looking down on the small woman, it was an extremely odd feeling.  
"Helga, may I present my wife, Lady Varinia Merope Bellatrix Artemisia Luciana Sarpedon Slytherin. Varinia, this is Mrs. Helga Hufflepuff." Varinia began to curtsy but Helga bustled over and gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheeks.  
"A pleasure to meet you dearie, I've heard so much about you, call me Helga, oh _you are just skin and bones_, you poor thing, you must be ever so tired from your trek…" Varinia was rather shocked, apart from Salazar, no-one had touched her this much in a long time, she glanced over the small woman's shoulder to see Salazar with a look of mirth on his face at the bewilderment on hers.  
"V-Varinia, it's a pleasure to finally meet you Helga." Varinia stuttered, while Helga fussed over her.  
"Oh, I can hear your chest wheezing from here, for my sake, would you come down to the hospital wing? Just let me check you over? Otherwise I'll be fretting all the way through dinner." Varinia found all she could do was nod.  
"Oh good, well then Salazar, she'll meet you at the top of the stair case in the grand hall in a quarter of an hour's time. Come along now dearie." And with a small tug Varinia found herself being led out of the room and down the staircase.

* * *

The hospital wing was empty but for one student lying asleep on a bed, she gawped at Varinia and Varinia smiled at her, Helga moved a screen in front of the girl's bed, shielding her from them. She bustled over to a corner, putting up a screen that obscured the whole corner; she stuck her head around it and beckoned Varinia in.  
Behind the screen there was a single wooden chair, Helga motioned for her to sit and Varinia did.  
"I'm just going to undo your buttons to check your breathing, alright lovie?" Varinia nodded and turned her back on Helga, who promptly began to undo the many, tiny velvet buttons than ran from the nape of her neck to her waist.  
"Such pretty skin you have Varinia, very lucky you are." Helga muttered idly, "How did you meet Salazar? You know how talkative he is, I haven't heard a thing about you!" Varinia sucked in her breath as the cold funnel was pressed to her back.  
"He was searching for more witches and wizards for Hogwarts, looking for teachers I think, and he heard about my family… they are… were…"  
"You're the last Sarpedon, I know dearie, you needn't get upset."  
"I'm sorry, it's just…" Varinia gathered herself and Helga began doing up her buttons. "I want to thank-you so much for letting me come here." Varinia said very quickly, just as Helga finished doing up the last button. Helga smoothed the dress around the shoulders.  
"Well we weren't allowed to say you couldn't come," she said softly, "Salazar just didn't want to bring you until the school was established, that's all." Varinia just nodded mutely.  
"Now, you're in perfect health, come on and we'll go down for tea." Helga said brightly, "The students will stare at you a bit but all of them respect Salazar. You'll be fine." Varinia wasn't sure Helga had known exactly what was plaguing her, but she was grateful for the re-assurance.

* * *

"Gaunt, wash your face, I have a house-elf cleaner than you." Salazar Slytherin reprimanded the dark haired boy laughing with his friends; he skulked off to do as he was bid.  
Already, Salazar was worrying; it was five minutes past the time Helga had designated. Was something wrong? Had Varinia had a severe coughing fit? Had she passed out? Was the journey to much for her frail body? He was constantly worried about his wife; she was so fragile; she looked as though a single puff of wind would blow her over.  
"Salazar, sorry we're late, a spot of trouble with one of the staircases, I still don't know why Rowena _insisted_ on enchanting them…"  
Salazar whipped around and there stood Helga and hanging off her arm was Varinia. Safe and whole. He breathed a sigh of relief. Helga had already bustled off but Varinia noticed his purposeful expenditure of breath. She pinked and looked away from him. As she took the arm he proffered she felt him relax further at her touch, feeling her small thin hands wrapped around his arm re-assured her existence.  
"Must you worry so?" She asked in a tight voice as they walked down the steps.  
"I am sorry, forgive me?"  
"I am incapable of not forgiving you."  
"I am just glad you are safe."  
"I have already forgiven you."  
"But I just want your happiness."  
"So you keep saying."  
They reached the bottom of the stairs, Varinia's train still grazing them for a few moments after she had stepped down. They walked over to the large open doors of the Great Hall, down the centre of the four tables, sort of filled by students that whispered as they passed.  
"-Daughter but she's too old so-"  
"-An estranged relative-"  
"-Isn't she that Sarpedon-"  
"-Saw her in the Hospital Wing-"  
Varinia kept her gaze focused forward on an invisible spot on the back wall.  
They finally reached the end of the Great Hall and the long table at which the teachers sat at, Varinia spotted four chairs in the centre, each with the house crests of Hogwarts on the back, with a few extra chairs on each side. Salazar helped her into one of those chairs (The one next to his) and Varinia found herself talking to a tall thin woman with wild black curly hair and a sort of pained expression. She turned out to be Georgiana Black, the Divination teacher. Salazar had told her that Georgiana was a true seer.

* * *

"Helga, how was she?" Salazar asked, leaning over Godric's still vacant chair Rowena sat between them but had leaned back respectfully.  
"She was fine, just a little raspy in her chest, but nothing serious." Helga said nonchalantly. Salazar paled.  
"Raspy?" He asked weakly. Rowena and Helga were slightly surprised, they had never heard that tone of his voice before.  
"Salazar, it was nothing, she can take some strengthening solution tonight." Helga.  
"Does anyone know where Godric is? It is ten minutes past six and he's never late for meals, for everything else, but I've never known Godric to miss a meal." Rowena said thoughtfully, eyeing the huge open doors to the Grand Hall.  
Helga and Salazar forgot their conversation and stared at the doors also. Rowena was right; Godric was never late for meals.  
As if her words had called him, he burst through the doors, strode purposely down the centre of the hall through the chatter of the students and up onto the raised platform the teachers table was situated at.  
He reached his place and sat down, his face screwed up in concentration.  
He sat down and stared ponderously at the spot where his plate would appear from.  
"I just don't know… a bewitching spell? A confundus charm? Hmm…" He trailed off and stared thoughtfully at his goblet.  
"Godric, we've spoken about this, thinking is a dangerous occupation, for _you_ at least. Why don't you just start the meal?" Salazar drawled, enunciating each word precisely.  
"Hmm? What? Oh yes… quite right… quite right Salazar…" He stood up, drawing himself up to full height and bellowed over the noise of the students conversations.  
"ALL RIGHT YOU LOT!" He yelled, "QUIETEN DOWN!" A silence settled over the hall.  
"Now, that's better," he said smiling up at them. "You may, or may not have, noticed that we have a guest tonight. If you thought that, then you were much mistaken! This is Her Ladyship Salazar Slytherin and she will be staying with us permanently. She is to be treated with utmost respect at all times!" He grinned broadly at them again. "Now, eat up and go to bed!" And with that he clapped his hands twice and food materialised on the tables in front of them.  
"It was Helga's idea," Salazar explained to her quietly while serving her potatoes. "There are four tables in the kitchen beneath this hall. The house-elves put the food on the tables and in gets magicked up here." Varinia nodded and began to eat the delicious meal in front of her; Salazar had reminded her that she should send for the house elves soon. They had two, one she inherited when her parents were killed and the other was Salazar's. Both Bitsy and Crotcher had lived with her in Salazar's home.  
She would speak to Helga about it later.

* * *

"Godric, are you going to eat something?" Salazar asked after a silent, furious conversation with Helga. Godric looked at him like he'd just had the smartest idea in the world.  
"Yes, I see, pass me some potatoes Salazar."  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yes… well…"  
"What is it?"  
"I've had an idea."  
"This isn't like the time you had the idea to enchant fire-places, is it?"  
"No."  
"Then what is it?"  
"Well, I've been trying to get a little friendly rivalry going between houses, but duelling was too serious."  
"Yes, I remember that."  
"What if we had a physical activity, like muggles do, but add a bit of the magic touch, so to speak."  
"And I take it you have a plan?"  
"Well yes actually I do, you have I don't know, say seven witches or wizards on broomsticks."  
"On _what_?"  
"Broomsticks, Salazar, broomsticks, do try to keep up, and you enchant them to make them fly and then you have several balls, enchanted too, and everyone flies around throwing them about at each other."  
Salazar stared at him.  
"You expect people to willingly mount a flying broomstick and have balls thrown at them?" he said slowly.  
"And what would such a thing be called?"  
"Oh, I don't know, what about Quidditch perhaps?"  
"_Why_ Quidditch?"  
"Oh I don't know, just like the sound of it really."  
Salazar stared at him. It was the kind of stare that you imagined was seeing into your soul. Which incidentally, it might possibly have been.  
"It will never work."  
"I think it sounds like jolly good fun."  
"I think it sounds like the dullest thing I've ever heard of. It will never take off."  
"Really? You think so?"  
"Oh, unquestionably."  
"Well, in spite of what you think Salazar I am going to pursue this, I think it's one of the best ideas I've ever had."  
Salazar's eyes met with Rowena's and together they almost smiled. Godric often had ideas like this, and often nothing happened, no matter the amount of effort he put into them.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to all those who reviewed, I really appreciated it, I hope you like this chapter and my Founders, they're important and if there's anything wrong with them, let me know, I don't want to screw this up.


	3. Unspoken Words

After dinner Varinia slipped away from Salazar and found Helga. She told her about the house-elves.  
"Oh yes, let's just pop down to the kitchens and you can call them to you there."  
They did pop down and Varinia saw the four large tables that Salazar had spoken of. About a dozen happy looking house-elves were scurrying around the floor. Varinia turned to Helga.  
"I don't really need my house-elves here, I only really had them before to make sure I was healthy and to deal with the difficult tasks. But that's no longer an issue here." Varinia paused and looked up at the stout woman. "Would they be able to work in the kitchens? I just want to know they're safe." Varinia looked up again to see Helga smiling up at her approvingly.  
"Of course dearie, just summon them." Varinia cleared her throat and closed her eyes.  
"Bitsy? Crotcher?" She whispered, suddenly she heard a loud bang and a long wail.  
"Oh Mistress!" Cried Bitsy, "We's was so worried you's was dead!"  
"Crotcher feared it were Crotcher's fault again," Crotcher wailed, wringing his hands and clutching onto her dress, "But Crotcher is so happy you's is alive." Her continued staring up at her with eyes as big as saucepans.  
"Crotcher, Bitsy, this is Helga Hufflepuff, She's one of Lord Slytherin's friends," The two small creatures turned their large eyes over to the shorter woman. "I don't need you to take care of me now, so you will work in the Hogwarts kitchens." The two house-elves nodded but Crotcher looked almost close to tears, and Varinia suddenly realised what she'd said.  
"I'm not dismissing you!" She said hurriedly, "But your needed down in the kitchens."  
This seemed to appease them and Helga introduced them to the other house-elves. Once she was sure they were settled in Varinia and Helga left the kitchens.

"Salazar, I am sorry about what I said, I didn't mean it as an offense." Rowena said coldly, they stood at either end of a desk in an empty classroom.  
"Then perhaps you should have held your tongue."  
"I will in future as I have no desire for my words to be taken out of context." Rowena glared daggers at him, "Though I was under the impression that Hogwarts is an institute of learning. It goes against everything we believe in not to have her educated."  
"No, it goes against everything you believe in." Salazar said curtly, Rowena felt like she'd just been slapped. "Oh you can't honestly believe that we're doing this for the same reason. Godric's doing this to prove it can be done Helga's doing this because you want to and I'm doing this to help the purebloods from those filthy muggles… oh don't look so shocked."  
Rowena was indeed looking shocked. And indignant.  
"The fact remains," she began tightly, "that _this_ is an institute of learning."  
"The fact remains," he responded, firmly "that Varinia is my wife and I will kindly ask, in the name of our friendship, that you _do not educate her_."  
Rowena was fighting a furious battle inside herself.  
On the one hand, Salazar was one of her dearest friends, whom she loved, perhaps a little more than she should. And he had the right to prevent his wife from being educated. And Rowena firmly believed in upholding the rules.  
On the other hand, Rowena knew it was her duty to educate Varinia and really, Salazar should not have the right to deny her this (She was slightly outraged that he even dared). Salazar wasn't _very_ open-minded, but he had never before insisted that a pure-blood should be denied education.  
Salazar watched Rowena slowly come to her decision.  
Though Rowena often had the best of intentions, the fact remained that she could be decidedly snobbish when it came to education. And Varinia was weak, he didn't want her to have to deal with studying – it could affect her health – and that was Salazar's greatest fear.  
"Alright, I promise not to educate her."  
"Good," he bowed slightly, "I bid you goodnight." And with that he whisked out of the room.  
Rowena slumped down onto her desk, head in her hands.  
She had never thought about the others being in it for different reasons. In fact, she had never even acknowledged such reasons could even exist. But one thing remained, she would not go behind Salazar's back and teach his wife.

"I want you to teach me." Varinia said quickly.  
Rowena felt her brain explode, could nothing go right today?  
"Everyone is always protecting me and I do not like being defenceless," Varinia babbled, mistaking the silence. "I was never allowed to study anything but potions; they did not want me to wear myself out. And what good are potions? If something attacks me it is hardly going to wait for me to brew up some poison and Salazar would feel more comfortable with leaving me I think, if I could defend myself... and I just want to learn. I want to know. I-"  
Rowena had held up her hand.  
"I... I will need to think about it." She said slowly. Varinia nodded hastily growing pinker by the second.  
"Of course... I should be getting back to Salazar... before he worries." Varinia turned and near sprinted out of the door.

Varinia cautiously opened the door.  
Salazar was inside, in his night-clothes and flicking through an assignment. He looked up when she came in.  
"Where have you been?" he asked in a relieved sort of voice.  
"Seeing to the house-elves."  
"You should have mentioned it to me."  
"I apologise."  
"How are they."  
"Very much the same."  
"And how are _you_?" He asked imploringly. Varinia stiffened as she turned her back to him.  
"Could you undo me?"  
He got up and quickly undid each tiny velvet buttons, until her underclothes were bared. She murmured her thanks and slipped behind the screen in the corner of the room.  
"You did not answer my question." He repeated. Varinia fumbled with the ribbons on her corset. She could not lie to Salazar.  
"Varinia." It was like a warning that ran through Varinia as she loosened her stays. She slipped off her garments, and pulled on her long, white night dress.  
"Are you feeling alright?"  
Varinia heard the bed creak as he stood up, she hastily wrapped her black woollen robe around her.  
"Varinia. It is a plain and simple question. Please answer me." He only whispered, but he was standing right behind her, breathing down her neck.  
"I'm perfectly fine." She said in a measured voice that didn't sound like it belonged to her at all. She revolved slowly until she was facing his chest. Moving as though her head was in honey, Varinia looked up at him.  
His eyes were bottomless and smoky grey. Some people found them cold But Varinia found them intriguing. They gave away nothing – and everything – all at the same time.  
"Do not lie to me."  
"I'm not." Varinia said, swallowing hard. "I feel perfectly fine Salazar, and I am not lying."  
"You are."  
Varinia's mouth felt dry.  
"I'm tired." She whispered, knowing as she did so she was admitting defeat. He gave her a thin lipped smile and moved aside, allowing her to pass.  
Varinia walked as slowly as possible to the vanity, where she sat and began to withdraw pins from her hair. Her soft white blonde hair fell to her waist, straight and sleek she stared at it for a moment before taking the comb to it.  
As she did so, Varinia examined her face, round and pale, her cheeks were not as rosy as most people's, especially when she was feeling tired. Her eyes were blue. She would have liked to call them sky blue, but there was something deathly chilling about them, something that scared people sometimes. Her mouth was delicate, but her lips were not thinning away to discretion. Her eye-brows and eye-lashes were a dark brown, contrasting nicely with her hair. Her eye-lashes were long and thick, and made her eyes seem even more surreal.  
"Varinia I just don't want you to become ill." He said quietly, resting a hand on her shoulder. She sighed and looked at him through the mirror.  
"I know, I just wish you wouldn't get so worried." She whispered, her hand reaching up to his and lingering.  
"Salazar?" she said, almost inaudibly.  
"Yes?"  
"Do you think they liked me?"  
The image of Rowena, her face lined with determination breathing a fiery argument at him leapt to mind.  
"Helga and Godric were quite enchanted by you."  
"But they are kind to everybody."  
This was true and Salazar knew it, Varinia would have to do something dreadfully appalling for Helga and Godric to dislike her. And even then Helga would just say it's probably just a misunderstanding and she's had such a difficult life this was just probably a repercussion of it. Godric would stand by Salazar. He knew this.  
"Do you think Rowena liked me?" said a small voice.  
"I don't know you didn't get the chance to meet her did you?"  
"Well... no but..." Varinia began meekly.  
"Oh and that reminds me," Salazar began, eager to get of _that_ topic, "I will be able to bring the rest of your things tomorrow, including-"  
"Nagaina?" Varinia said excitedly. Salazar nodded pleased to get her off her previous train of thought. She stood up and his hand slipped off her shoulder, but she kept it firmly held in her own hand. She turned around to him.  
"I'm so glad you brought me here." She whispered standing on her tip toes she pressed her lips to his cheek. She released his hand and walked to the bed and peeling back the covers she slipped her feet in between them, lowering herself, she felt her head come into contact with the pillow. She closed her eyes and behind her lids she saw Salazar snuffing out the candles with a wave of his wand. She felt him pulling back the covers next to her and settling down. It was completely black now.  
"Salazar?" Varinia murmured, teetering on the edge of telling him her suspicions of what was now dwelling behind her navel.  
"Yes?"  
"Nothing... Goodnight." She pushed the thought deep inside herself, if she told him, he would only worry more, and she _didn't_ need that. And what if she was wrong? She couldn't stand the shame. Best to just leave it the way it was until she was sure.  
Varinia sincerely hoped that would be soon.


End file.
